As president, Nickols will oversee one of the oldest
professional
societies in the United States. Founded in 1909, AAFCS has
12,000
members including elementary, secondary, postsecondary and
extension educators and administrators; other professionals in
government, business and nonprofit sectors; and students
preparing for the field of family and consumer sciences.

"Since 9-11 people are increasingly recognizing that the topics
family and consumer sciences researches and teaches are vital to
their personal family and community well-being," Nickols said.
"Our association helps keep members up to date, advocates for
family-oriented public policy, and recognizes excellence in our
profession."

Nickols has served as dean of FACS since 1991, when she moved to
the University of Georgia from her position as director of the
School of Human Resources and Family Studies at the University
of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She also holds the position of
associate director of the Georgia Agricultural Experiment
Stations and the Georgia Cooperative Extension Service.

Prior to being installed as president; Nickols served as
president-elect for the past year. She served as vice president
for programs from 1997-99, and during the past 20 years, she
also
served in a variety of other positions with AAFCS and twice has
been awarded the Commemorative Lecture Award and the AHEA Leader
Award from AAFCS.

Professionally, Nickols has served in numerous leadership
positions with the Association of Administrators of Human
Sciences and the Administrative Leadership Council of Family and
Consumer Sciences.

In addition, she has been involved in a number of community
service efforts, including serving on the steering committee for
Athens Child Watch in 1997-98; as a commissioner to the Athens
Housing Authority since 1995; and chairing the strategic
planning committee and serving as a board member of the Campbell-
Stone Retirement Centers in Atlanta.

Nickols earned her Ph.D. in 1976 in Family Economics and
Management from the University of Missouri, her master of arts
degree in family life education from Columbia University-
Teachers College in 1967, and her bachelor's degree in Home
Economics Eduction in 1965 from Kansas State University.

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(Denise Horton is a contracted writer for the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Office of Global Programs.)